The inspiring message hidden in the new Matildas uniform

The players during the media reveal in Melbourne. Image: Supplied.Source:BodyAndSoul

Tucked inside the collar of the Matilda's brand new kit, the first-ever designed exclusively for the national team, are three words: "Never Say Die".

So subtle are they, their presence will remain practically invisible to most of us, including the thousands of loyal, roaring fans, cheering from the stands next month, when they debut the new uniforms against the US. But for the players donning them, these three small words carry a powerful meaning: a reference to the team's rallying cry, signalling dogged determination, relentless optimism and a fight-to-the-proverbial-death sort of sportsmanship. And given the hype around the current squad, touted to possibly be the best female sports team in Australian history, this seems apt.

Sam Kerr, the team's star striker and recently-crowned captain, agrees. She says it's these small thoughtful details (of which there are others) that make all the difference: "Every time we put [the new kit] on, it's that little bit of a buzz but to have these little things, like the "Never Say Die" on the back, just add that little bit extra," she tells bodyandsoul.com.au in Melbourne, where Nike have just revealed the new feminist football uniform to media ahead of its official unveiling. This mantra goes beyond the current team too, she adds. "This has been something we've had going round our team for years now, it's not just about us, it's about people before and people to come and it really represents the Matildas' brand." And it seems fitting too, considering the the Matildas' recent success, which has been years in the making.

Team captain Sam Kerr says the girls have earned the new uniform. Image: Supplied.Source:BodyAndSoul

Of course, the kit is in itself a testimony to how far the girls have come. Further validation times are changing. The exclusively-designed green and gold collection channels an exuberant aesthetic inspired by the early ’90's (when many of the athletes were born), Melbourne’s famous Hosier Lane (a globally recognised street art hot spot), and the famed Golden Wattle and Australia’s landscape. The design, which was three years in the making, strikes a balance between feminine and athletic, retaining a youthful, playful feel and managing to accurately reflect the feel within the team, with the average age of players being 24.

The new kit - which is the brain-child of Nike Senior Apparel Product Manager, Global Football Cassie Looker - has been designed specifically for the girls on the field (and refreshingly, not the visual pleasure of male spectators) with comfort, coverage and cut at front of mind. With testing and feedback happening in the Nike Sport Research Lab, designers have worked closely with the world's best female players and conducted extensive body mapping to perfect the fit, from considering the difference in body shape to accounting for how women sweat differently from men.

Image: Supplied.Source:BodyAndSoul

"These athletes are super strong and powerful, they generate a ton of power through their lower body so we wanted to make sure we accommodated this in the fit and for her body in motion," Looker explains. “In talking with athletes, we found that necklines are super important. Crew necks and V necks that are shallow work best [and] the short is the hero item for us. We wanted to make sure that it fits just right. There are no draw cords as we know they aren’t comfortable when they are on the inside so we removed them altogether and just focused on the fit, meaning you don’t have to adjust them."

Of the "Never Say Die" touch, Looker adds: players will be able to "take this with them on the pitch with them in France, inspiring both themselves and their supporters”.

The players during the media reveal in Melbourne. Image: Supplied.Source:BodyAndSoul

For the players, the new kit signifies a vote of faith from Nike, Football Australia and the public, amid what is proving to be a dream run - albeit, one born out of years of hard work. Kerr adds, "It's really well earned. The Matildas have done so well over the last couple of years and I think we're really proud that we've earned this, and we feel really proud and excited that we finally get to wear something that represents us as a team." Because, as she points out, the differences between the male and female teams are plenty, and certainly enough to warrant different attire.

And while there is still a "long way to go", the change in Australia's attitude towards women's sport is palpable, Kerr says. "There's been times when we've gone out and played in front of hundreds of people and now we're rocking up to training and there's hundreds of people and we're rocking up to games and there's thousands of people.

"When you go out and play for your country, give your all, sacrifice your life for it, and then there's no recognition back it does get you down, but now we feel the support of the public, we feel the support of amazing brands, like Nike, that are really getting behind us and giving us the opportunity to prove to the Australian public that we're one of the best teams in the country."

Armed with the new kit at the World Cup in France this June, Kerr says a win on the world stage would be "a dream come true". "It’s everything we’ve ever dreamed of. Being the first Aussies to do this would really change how people see women’s football in Australia. We’d like to show the world that women’s football is at its peak. Football to me is way more than just a sport. It's everything, it’s my life and the tournament is the pinnacle."